


Travels

by nobinaries



Series: Notes in the Margins [3]
Category: Wicked - All Media Types, Wicked - Schwartz/Holzman
Genre: Angst, F/F, First Time, Romance, only because we know what is going to happen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-20
Updated: 2017-11-20
Packaged: 2019-02-04 13:08:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 15,997
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12771744
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nobinaries/pseuds/nobinaries
Summary: The train ride to the Emerald City creates a liminal space for Glinda and Elphaba to explore what might be.





	Travels

So much had happened in the last few days Elphaba could barely sort out her usually ordered thoughts.  She wasn’t entirely sure what had happened.  Dr. Dillamond had been fired and taken Oz only knew where and then there had been the lion cub in that horrible cage.  And then there had been Fiyero.  She really didn’t know what to make of what had happened with Fiyero.  She had seen the spark in his eyes, had felt the spark between them.  The problem was the only reason she could even identify that spark was because of what had happened two days earlier in a dress shop with Gali…no, Glinda now…she mentally corrected.

She wasn’t that girl, not the one Fiyero should pick.  It wasn’t her green skin or her almost rabid individualism.  It was the simple fact that he was meant for Glinda and Glinda for him.  And Elphaba was best out of the whole complicated mess.  Fiyero was charming and handsome and, though he fought to hide it, intelligent. He was everything she should want in a man.  That, in and of itself, seemed to be the crux of the problem.  Elphaba couldn’t deny she found him attractive but it was nothing compared to what she felt standing equally close to Glinda.  The sensation of a small perfectly manicured hand held in hers was like nothing she’d ever felt.  She couldn’t even begin to describe everything she had felt when pink lips had pressed, in seeming innocence, against the corner of her mouth.  What she felt with Fiyero seemed so much more straightforward than any of the messy business she shared with Glinda.  Her tiny blond roommate seemed to have a knack for making people fall in love with her.  It had worked on Fiyero, Boq, nearly the entire population of Shiz, and, she could no longer deny, it had worked on her.

That simple honest truth made everything so much more complicated.  Elphaba loved Glinda and Glinda loved Fiyero…or at least she should.  All Elphaba knew was that when she watched Glinda and Fiyero walk away hand in hand she couldn’t tell which hand she wished she was holding.   She longed to identify which might-have-been, which possibility, was the one that caused her chest to ache and the tears to sting in her eyes but it just seemed impossible.  Fiyero was, well, her chance to have one normal thing in her life, one thing that made her like any other girl.  Glinda was most definitely not that.  Elphaba sensed somewhere deep inside she could be so much more.  They could be so much more.  She felt trapped by her confusion, by her feelings.

She had the perfect escape handed to her by Madame Morrible, of all people, and she had been ready to take it.  Elphaba could finally travel to the Emerald City and meet the Wizard.  All of her dreams could come true and Glinda would be in Shiz with Fiyero by her side and they could be happy, far happier than either of them would be if they allied themselves too closely with the odd green girl.  Elphaba knew it was true no matter how any of them denied it.  That, of course, didn’t change the pain that seemed to have taken up permanent residence in her chest at the thought of letting Glinda go.  It was odd the need to hold onto something that she knew wasn’t really hers to begin with.

And then Glinda had been crying and she looked so small and lost standing on the train station platform.  On the surface her roommate’s words had seemed so shallow, so self-serving, and yet she had seen something else behind those eyes.  Glinda’s confusion and hurt touched something deep within the green girl.  Elphaba had done the only thing possible she had wrapped her friend in her arms and decided she would do anything to stop those tears.  She had spoken three simple words that had done nothing to simplify anything. “Come with me.”

____________________________

Now here she was waiting for Glinda to throw her things into a traveling case at dizzying speed.  “Glinda,” her new name rolled off Elphaba’s tongue with surprising ease, “we will only be in the Emerald City for one short day, how many outfits are you going to need.”

“I realize that Elphie, but the trip there is two days long,” she said this as though it explained the need for half her wardrobe. “Besides I’m done now.  Let’s go before we miss the train.” Glinda turned and grabbed a green hand in hers. “Thank you for this trip Elphie, we are going to have so much fun.” With that Glinda grabbed her bag in her free hand and tugged Elphaba along behind her.  Glinda hoped she was right, that this trip would be fun.  She feared she was wrong though, that these swirling emotions she couldn’t seem to shake would only be worse all alone with Elphie for three days.

Glinda had never felt this much turmoil.  Her life had always been so clearly defined, laid out before her like a map to success.  Her problem was that map had not included a lanky, wickedly intelligent, profoundly beautiful Munchkinlander…who happened to be green…and a girl.  She couldn’t quite reconcile Elphaba’s place in her life.  The sensations that thoughts of Elphie inspired within the blond were decidedly unsettling and did not fit with anything she had been taught to want.  At the same time, she couldn’t deny the jolt she felt anytime their hands came into contact or the overwhelming sensation of safety and warmth she had felt when Elphaba had put her arms around her. 

That single hug on the platform had been the most calming and confusing thing Glinda had ever experienced.  The simple comfort had soothed and the physical connection had driven any thought of Fiyero from her mind.  She knew, on some level, that she should have been upset, hurt even, by his behavior but she just couldn’t bring herself to feel it.  Glinda was well aware of the social necessity that dictated she should respond appropriately, and she had, but how could she possibly blame him.  All of the things he was starting to see in Elphie were the things Glinda had seen for some time now. 

Her perplexidness was not a result of his feelings for her roommate; it extended entirely from her own.  She had been demonstrating all the proper upset over the erratic behavior of her beau and then she had found herself crying.  Though anyone watching would easily have mistaken those tears to be Glinda’s usual affected drama she couldn’t lie to herself.  She knew differently.  She knew they had spilled over from an entirely different source, a source she had been fighting valiantly to squash down deep in her heart.  She didn’t cry because she was afraid of losing Fiyero, she cried because she was afraid of losing Elphaba.  With a shake of blond curls Glinda attempted to dispel the mix of thoughts in her head as she gripped Elphie’s hand more tightly and hurried them toward the coach that would return them to the train station.

_____________________________

They made it back to the train station with only a couple of minutes to spare as they rushed aboard.  Glinda had managed, with some strategic fluttering of lashes, to get the last remaining seat in first class though she was unable to finagle a berth with a bed.  The train to the Emerald City was almost always booked to capacity.  They soon discovered Elphaba did have the luxury of a place to lie down to sleep on the long trip.  It would seem Madame Morrible had ensured she would travel in style to meet the Wizard.

For reasons Elphaba couldn’t quite explain, even to herself, this seemed remarkably odd.  She had never been in the position of privilege when traveling.  She had always been more the servant to her father and her sister.  In her experience no one had ever taken any pains to see to her comfort.  Well, up until very recently anyway.  Glinda had, of late, taken great pains to care but those thoughts just added to her consternation and she shook them off.  She was well aware this situation and her situation with her roommate were entirely different.  She supposed that this wasn’t really about her in the end anyway.  It wouldn’t do for Madame Morrible’s prize sorcery pupil to arrive to a visit with the Wizard looking haggard and travel weary.

It took a moment for Elphaba to realize Glinda was again tugging at her hand moving them down the narrow aisle toward the next train car.  It should have surprised her that the physical contact of their hands together had grown so comfortable she didn’t notice it anymore.  It didn’t.  She had ceased to be surprised by her feelings for Glinda.  They had become her constant, if befuddling, companion.  She could try and fool herself into believing they hadn’t been there before that fateful night at the Oz Dust but she knew the truth and of her many flaws self-delusion wasn’t one of them.

They finally crossed into a new car with a thin aisle lined with sliding doors that led to the sleeping compartments.  Dragging herself out of her thoughts she focused on the woman in front of her, blond hair dusting her shoulders, perfectly tailored suit accentuating the curves of her petite figure.  Elphaba had been trying for quite some time, with varying degrees of success, not to stare at Glinda whenever the opportunity presented itself.  This was one of the moments of extremely limited success.  Elphaba looked past the layers of pretense and frivolity the blond built around herself and saw things that astonished her.  There was something undeniably magnetic about Glinda; she seemed to glow from the inside.  She had a unique combination of strength and softness, canny perceptiveness and naiveté.

As lost as she was in watching the woman in front of her she had to stop short to avoid colliding with her.  Glinda had come to an abrupt stop in front of one of the doors. She turned in the narrow space to face Elphaba her blue eyes sparkling with some undefined emotion.  It seemed so many of Glinda’s emotions were undefined, indefinable, to Elphaba; it was as though Glinda felt things the other woman had never even heard of, much less experienced.  Dark eyes attempted to decipher clues and questions written in blue but failed miserably.

Glinda felt pinned under that sharp gaze, a butterfly under glass.  She could see the confusion clearly in those dark eyes and hated herself for feeling relieved at its existence.  As long as Elphaba was confused it meant she hadn’t given herself away completely.  It had become increasingly difficult to keep her feelings wrapped tightly in that secret place deep in her heart.  If she looked for too long at her roommate she could sense her rebellious emotions struggling against their bonds.  If Elphaba ever put the remaining pieces of the puzzle together Glinda knew she would be exposed and powerless. 

The silence between them had begun to stretch uncomfortably long and was broken by a small squeal as the train lurched to a start causing Glinda to fall forward into Elphaba’s unsuspecting body.  Glinda’s hands reached out to steady herself, falling on slim hips gripping tightly to regain her balance.  It took her a few moments to compensate for the light rocking motion of the train as it pulled away from the station and she tried to pull away from Elphie.

“I’m sorry,” Glinda knew she wasn’t hiding her nervousness at their proximity very well but she had no idea what to do about it.

“No harm done, I’m quite sure it would take more than a bump from you to hurt me,” as she spoke Elphaba was almost shocked at the lack of irony with which she said those words.  She was fully aware that if there was one person in the world who could hurt her with very little effort it was Glinda.  Of course it always seemed more difficult to remember how dangerous being close to Glinda was when she was actually close to her.  The warmth of small hands on her hips and the grip she had on Glinda’s upper arms only contributed to her distraction.

“Well,” a small nervous giggle escaped Glinda’s throat, “we seem to have arrived at your stateroom Miss Elphaba.”  Glinda was fully aware that she should remove her hands from the spot they had comfortably begun to rest.  She could feel the warmth of Elphie’s skin through the fabric of her skirt and the tantalizing nature of it made it quite impossible to let go.  Any control Glinda had thought she had around Elphaba was quickly slipping away.

“Would you care to join me inside, Miss Glinda?” Elphaba could feel a foreign emotion winding its way through her words.  On the surface this was an innocent question, inviting a friend in to sit in the more quiet solitude of her compartment rather than being forced to sit in the comfortable yet hardly private seats in the other car.  There were other things poorly hidden beneath the surface of the question however, even Elphaba in her relatively limited experience was aware of that fact.  It seemed, though, that knowing a thing and caring about a thing was not always the same thing.  Elphaba could feel, deep in her heart, she wanted those poorly hidden things to come to light.

Glinda knew spending time alone in a small private space with Elphaba was dangerous.  The train was carrying them away from Shiz, away from Fiyero, away from so much responsibility and propriety that rested on her slight pale shoulders.  She could almost feel the physical sensation of leaving all of that behind, there seemed to be a lightness in her chest that increased with each moment she stood in the safe circle of the green girl’s presence.  She could feel the seconds tick tocking by, carrying her in a new direction, carrying her toward those dark, fascinating eyes.  And here, with just the two of them leaving on a grand adventure Glinda didn’t have the strength or the will to resist the pull.  Whatever waited ahead for them was less important than making sure this moment didn’t disappear into the ether of what might have been.

“Why Miss Elphaba, I thought you’d never ask.”  As she spoke Glinda finally removed one small hand from thin hips and slid the door to the compartment open revealing a small but comfortable berth.  To the left there was a bench seat covered in dark burgundy velvet, somewhat matted by time and many seated passengers, under the window as a table that offered just enough space to read a book or eat a meal, and to the right raised slightly higher than the bench was a bed, cozy for one, almost indecent for two.  Glinda quickly banished that thought from her head, though the image of two slender young bodies, one pale pink, one green tangled in that small space was considerably more difficult to dispel.

For lack of anything else to fill the time and space Elphaba picked up their bags from where they had been left forgotten in the hallway.  She knew they must have carried them and set them down when they arrived at the door but it seemed such mundane trivialities had lost all relevance.  Her entire reality seemed to be consumed with a certain blond.  Elphaba had never imagined she would need to deal with these sorts of emotions.  Affairs of the heart had always seemed like something foreign and strange.  Her father had all but taught her that love was for the weak and foolish or the beautiful and Elphaba saw herself as none of those.

Glinda watched Elphaba as she stowed their bags in the overhead compartment marveling at the series of events that had led them here.  It seemed as though they were being led to one another in a way that was quite beyond either of their control.  Somehow that made their current predicament much easier for her to deal with, whatever happened between them seemed fated and Glinda knew it was foolish to fight fate.  She seated herself on the surprisingly comfortable bench wondering when Elphie would quit being so nervous and join her.  Secretly she always found nervous and fidgety Elphie quite charming. 

“Oh dearest, do sit down,” Glinda patted the bench next to her.  “It makes little sense to stand for the entire trip.”

Without comment Elphie did as she was told and sat at the end of the bench resting her back toward the window and folding her knees up in front of her so that she was facing Glinda.  Her arms were loosely wrapped around her legs, keeping her slender body folded in on itself and protected from all the strange emotions that seemed to hang in the air around them.  Elphaba knew she should be thinking about her visit with the Wizard, about the wonders that awaited them in the Emerald City but all she could think about was blue eyes and the way blond hair fell on thin shoulders.  This was all most disconcerting.  It seemed the further they traveled the less connected Elphaba became to the reality of their situation.  She needed to come back to that reality quickly, before it was too late.

“In the hustle before we left did you managed to send a message to Fiyero that you were leaving?”  Elphaba knew there was layered emotion in her question but she had no way of keeping it hidden.  She needed to remind herself that Glinda and Fiyero belonged to each other, and neither could belong to her.  Especially not the woman who was sitting so demurely next to her, after all, it just wouldn’t do for any of them to live in a fantasy world.

“No,” Glinda’s tone was remarkably dismissive at the mention of his name.  “I’m sure word will reach him before he becomes too awfully worried.  And with the state of things I’m quite convinced he’ll be happily rid of me for a few days.”  Glinda was aware that she should probably sound more bitter than she did, but she just couldn’t muster it.

“You don’t seem especially worried about your future husband,” any bitterness that Glinda had lacked Elphaba more than made up for.  It was supremely frustrating for Elphaba to be experiencing such swirling confusing emotional turmoil while Glinda seemed able to dismiss it all so quickly.  Frustration was an emotion Elphaba was familiar with and it was easy to channel that feeling and allow it to block out so many of the unfamiliar ones that had taken over her life.

“Oh Elphie, don’t be so upset,” Glinda couldn’t quite tell why her friend suddenly sounded so peevish.  “You saw what happened at the train station.  I just don’t know what to do with him right now.” 

Elphaba paused before speaking.  She wished she had more experience in these things but she often found relationships of any kind perplexing and bothersome.  It had also been made quite clear to her after Nessa was born that her life would be spent caring for her sister and if she did that well her annoyingly sharp intellect might occasionally be indulged.  Nowhere in her life plan had it been thought that she would find herself in emotional turmoil over Glinda Upland.  The only way she knew how to approach this was the way she approached everything, research until an answer became clear.  Unfortunately the only person she could use for said research was Glinda herself.  Possibly if she could figure out how Glinda was feeling her own emotions would take on some much needed clarity.

“What do you want to do with him?”  Elphaba dropped some of the bitterness and frustration from her tone though her insides reacted to the question in ways she couldn’t describe.  Talking about Glinda and Fiyero together seemed to cause her no end of stress and each time she did it became more apparent that feeling was connected far more strongly to Glinda than her boyfriend.

“I want him to stop trying to be so complicated,” Glinda answered somewhat petulantly.  “He was supposed to be perfectly simple, handsome and wealthy.  You know, all the things Momsie wanted in my possible husband.  But he’s gotten so thoughtful and pensive lately.  He’s almost like…” Glinda let her voice drop off as she realized what she was about to say and to whom she was about to say it.

“Almost like who?”  Elphaba was fairly certain she knew the answer but for some reason she wanted Glinda to say it.

“Well,” Glinda hesitated, “almost like you.  But I don’t mean that the way it sounds. It’s not an attractive quality in him.”

“But, mysteriously, it is an attractive quality in me?”  Elphaba asked allowing a note of incredulity to creep into her voice.

“Oh stop picking on me,” Glinda leaned forward and swatted Elphaba’s arm lightly.  “You know what I mean.”  Glinda really hoped Elphie would stop this line of questioning it was making her feel tremendously nervous and even less articulate than she normally felt around the green girl.

“But don’t you want a thoughtful man?”  Elphaba really wanted to decipher what it was Glinda was feeling.  “Wouldn’t life be terribly boring stuck with someone who never challenged you?”

“A husband is a useful thing to have around,” Glinda could hear her mother’s voice telling her about the uses of marriage and a man.  It was almost strange to her to hear the words coming from her own mouth but they were quite practical lessons that Elphie would obviously have missed since her mother had died at such a young age.  “But he isn’t any good if you can’t get him to easily do what you need him to do.”

“You surprise me Glinda,” Elphaba was taken aback by the practicality in the other girl’s tone.  “That is hardly a romantic notion of marriage?”

“I wouldn’t expect you to find much use for romance Elphie,” Glinda countered. 

“No, I suppose not, but I would have assumed it to be very important to you.”  Elphaba found this conversation fascinating and not at all what she expected.

Glinda thought for a moment about how to respond to Elphie’s statement.  There were plenty of false comments she could make, had made on many an occasion.  Somehow though, sitting so close to Elphie in the intimate confines of the berth with the low rhythm of the train made all of those answers fade.  She didn’t quite understand what it was about talking with Elphaba that always seemed to make her more honest but she had learned it was useless to resist. 

“Romance is,” Glinda paused casting her eyes upward as though searching for the right words, “fun...but Momsie always warned me that romance was fleeting and not exactly what my family wants me to find.”  What Glinda didn’t say was that her mother had taught her to fear romance and certainly to fear falling for the wrong person.  Falling in love with the wrong person, bringing that shame and drama on her family, had always been portrayed as far worse than never falling in love at all.  As Glinda got older she realized that each adolescent crush, each budding emotion happened with people, girls, who would never ever be suitable.  She merely boxed up that part of herself and settled for what was suitable.  Her mother had taught her well to believe that acceptance and popularity would always make up for a lack of love and it wasn’t until recently that Glinda had truly begun to question that belief.

Elphaba was stunned.  It hadn’t occurred to her that giggly, flighty Glinda was so appallingly practical when it came to matters of the heart.  Elphie couldn’t help but think someone as beautiful and glowing as she was deserved courting and romance, someone to love her with painful dedication.  She shouldn’t just settle for Fiyero because he was everything her family wanted.  In Elphaba’s mind Glinda deserved someone who would love her and challenge her and allow her to be extraordinary.  She couldn’t quite believe that deep down Glinda wanted to settle for that life either.  It almost made her angry to think of Glinda’s potential wasted in such a mundane fashion.  Instead of investigating the origins of the intense wave of emotion that seemed to be rising in her Elphaba opted to continue the conversation.

“It’s all well and good to talk about what your family wants, my sweet,” Elphaba countered after a few seconds thought.  “But you can’t honestly tell me that is what you want.”

“Honestly,” Glinda looked down at her hands as she clenched them in her lap refusing to make eye contact with her friend.  “No one has ever asked me what I want, not on this topic anyway.”

Elphaba was taken aback by how frightened Glinda looked as she sat there wringing her hands and looking anywhere but into the other woman’s eyes.  She quickly decided she didn’t like it a bit and reached out her hand gently cupping Glinda’s chin and applying delicate but irresistible pressure until blue eyes that sparkled with fear and unshed tears met fathomless dark orbs that radiated a new intensity.

“I’m asking.”  Elphaba’s tone was soft but insistent as she held Glinda’s gaze and waited for an answer.

Glinda could feel all of the emotions she had thought buried boiling up to the surface as Elphie’s eyes held her captive.  She had convinced herself that she knew what she wanted, in fact had vowed to stop at nothing to get it.  To all outward appearances she even had it.  But deep in her heart there was another truth, one she couldn’t deny.  Not when Elphaba’s hand was warm and firm on her face and those eyes were looking at her full of concern and so many far more dangerous emotions.

She could feel her bottom lip begin to quiver until she captured it between her teeth in a vain attempt to stop the inevitable humiliation of tears.  It wasn’t as though she had never cried in front of Elphie before but this was different.  She had never looked into Elphie’s face and openly cried over her.  She tried to resist, slam the door on everything that was fighting for release but she couldn’t do it.  It was all too much and she felt one rebellious tear travel down her cheek.

Elphaba hated to see Glinda cry and these tears seemed somehow even harder to witness.  There was something so raw in those blue eyes, something she had never seen before.  It was both terrifying and irresistible.  As she watched a single crystalline tear traverse Glinda’s perfect cheek she couldn’t resist the urge to brush it away with gentle fingers.

“Please don’t cry my sweet,” Elphaba’s speech was soft, softer than perhaps it ever had been.  “I only wish to know what it is that you want.”

“You brilliant, stupid thing,” Glinda would almost have laughed if she hadn’t been completely terrified by the words that were about to come out of her mouth.  “I want you.”

Elphaba froze. 

Those three very small words coming from those lips caused her normally overactive mind to completely cease to function.  Conflicting emotions seemed to collide in her heart causing it to thump loudly in her chest, so loudly she was almost certain Glinda could hear it.  She wanted to throw her arms around Glinda and never let go and she wanted to get as far away from her as possible. 

Glinda watched as Elphaba’s normally studied façade seemed to fall away bit by crumbling bit.  She had only on rare occasions seen a look of vulnerability appear on those beautiful features and she found the softness in those eyes so lovely it made her ache.  The words she had been hiding for months were now free of their bonds and with that Glinda felt a new found freedom of her own.  She could see the conflict written in the unsure gaze of the woman next to her and knew if anything was going to happen it was up to her. 

It seemed to Glinda this train had transported them to a place where neither of them were trapped in the roles they seemed destined to play.  They were neither here nor there and could, if only for the briefest of moments, just be themselves together.  Past and future held no meaning for her as she looked across at the gorgeous present.  With that thought Glinda made a choice, the only choice that made any sense.

Elphaba had that feeling again, the one she had experienced in the dress shop, that sense of inevitability like the tide moving in.  This time however she knew what it was, knew what was coming.  She only hoped that this time Glinda wouldn’t shy away at the last possible second.  This time she was fully aware that she wanted those perfect pink lips pressed against hers.  All of the muddled emotions she had been feeling, all the swirling doubt that had crowded her mind cleared with the words Glinda had spoken.

Glinda wanted her… _her_ …Elphaba.  That simple fact changed this moment forever.  What was happening between them wasn’t about Fiyero or rebellion or anything other than the magical feeling of electricity arching between them and the soothing rhythm of the train that seemed to draw them nearer to one another.  The moment that stretched endlessly between them held so much possibility there was nothing either woman could do but give into it completely.

There was room enough only for warm breath between their parted lips as Glinda surrendered to gravitational forces that were quite beyond her ability to control.  Fear that had stopped her before seemed to have fled completely leaving her with an odd sense of courage as her hand drifted upward drawn into the dark tangle of Elphaba’s silken tresses.  There was no reason in all the world to resist the aching sweetness of those lips that were now not even inches from hers and so Glinda did not resist, not a bit.

Small dainty fingers found comfortable purchase in inky softness pulling Elphie forward the last breath of space that separated them.  Warm lips met brushing against each other with almost shy determination.  There was a moment of near chasteness, of control, of not wanting to push too far but it did not last long.  Elphaba wanted more, she wanted to be able to memorize the way Glinda tasted and the only way she could think to do that was to draw her in.  She parted her lips in what she hoped was obvious invitation and Glinda did not hesitate to accommodate the request.

Their kiss deepened, tongues slid warm and wet against each other, lips collided, teeth nipped as they learned the shape and texture of one another.  Glinda had thought she had a bit of experience with kissing, she had thought she knew what it felt like to share a passionate embrace.  As they began to situate themselves on the padded bench with Glinda’s small body firmly pressed over the length of Elphaba’s lanky frame beneath her and she felt strong green hands around her waist and soft sweet lips against hers she realized she knew very little.

Glinda had often read that after a period of time kisses would end because both parties were robbed of breath, as she continued to explore Elphaba’s lips she realized this description wasn’t true at all.  As their lips met and parted with an intense searching rhythm it was possible to breathe just enough to continue with no need to gasp for air.  The thing that finally drew her lips away was the almost painful fullness she had begun to feel in her chest.  The rising tide of emotion that threatened to completely overwhelm her made her want nothing more than to see the beautiful green face beneath her.  She wanted to lose herself in those dark eyes.  It wasn’t that she wanted the kissing to end, no she was quite sure she wanted that to continue, it was that she wanted that connection more.

Elphaba had thought her heart was pounding before.  She had apparently been mistaken.  The touch of Glinda’s lips had caused it to feel as though it would break free of her chest entirely.  She had never thought her body could contain as much as she was feeling.  Each individual sensation seemed amplified, the softness of Glinda’s lips, the heat of her body at each point of contact, the soft firmness of Glinda’s hips under her hands.  She had never understood what people were talking about when they spoke of desire, of love, until this very moment. 

The physical reality of kissing Glinda was beyond anything she had ever thought to imagine and she couldn’t begin to describe the emotional response.  It was as though she was being swept up in some sort of storm that would wash her away.  She could feel her hands gripping more tightly looking for something to ground her in reality.  Just as it seemed she would lose herself entirely she felt Glinda’s lips lifting away from hers, felt the smaller woman’s weight shifting. She allowed her eyelids to flutter open realizing she wanted nothing more than to see that cerulean gaze looking back at her telling her Glinda was really there and that this was actually happening.

“Elphaba,” Glinda’s voice shook with unexpressed emotions as she brushed dark hair from Elphaba’s forehead.  There were so many things she wanted to say that it seemed she was unable to say anything at all.  Her fingers began to trace the lines of Elphaba’s angular features, sliding lightly over the curve of her brow, her cheek, the line of her lip where her touch caused it to curve upwards in the slightest hint of a smile.

“Yes, my sweet?”  Elphaba was rather surprised with her ability to actually string multiple words together.  The soft stroking of Glinda’s fingers on her flushed face calmed her, anchoring her in the moment.  She expected to feel fear or confusion or at least some level of discomfiture at their undeniably close physical proximity but she found she felt none of those things.  To her amazement she felt happiness, at least she assumed what she felt would be called happiness the truth was she had nothing to compare it to in order to be certain.

“I didn’t think I was actually brave enough to do that,” as she spoke Glinda averted her eyes as a blush colored her cheeks.  A wave of uncharacteristic shyness had washed over her as she was once again quite sure Elphaba’s eyes could see into every hidden corner of her soul.  Though they were still fully clothed there was something in that gaze that left her feeling bare and exposed, as though she could hide nothing.  After the months they had spent together Glinda could still not tell if she craved or feared that openness.

“Glinda,” Elphaba’s voice was gentle but commanding. The green girl knew when Glinda was attempting to hide and this was not the moment to allow that to happen.  Life was far too uncertain a thing to let a moment like this pass because of fear or shyness.  “Look at me…please.”

Drawing in a shaky breath Glinda brought her eyes back up to meet Elphaba’s and she knew the seconds she had looked away had been wasted.  She would never again see anything as beautiful as those obsidian pools swirling with layers of complex emotion and dancing with flames of youthful desire.  Glinda had often told Elphaba she was beautiful, but she was fast coming to realize that may have been an understatement.

Elphaba felt her breath catch slightly when their eyes met again.  Glinda’s crystal blue eyes had darkened almost stormy radiating the intensity of the emotions that risen in them.  It was universally agreed upon that Glinda was pretty but Elphaba honestly pitied anyone who only ever saw that part of her.  The rest of the world was missing a great deal if they never got the chance to see beyond that prettiness to her true beauty.  She counted herself the luckiest person in all of Oz to be on the receiving end of that gaze if only for this one moment.

As they continued to stare at one another, silence stretching between them, all of the things Elphaba had intended to say seemed less and less important.  There was plenty of time for talking, for worrying about what all this meant, after they had reached the Emerald City or after they had returned to Shiz.  Glinda had talked of being so practical with her heart and Elphaba feared that more talk would just remind her of all those well ingrained lessons.  If only just for this moment Elphaba wanted Glinda to know there was someone in the world who loved her with fire and passion, practicality be damned.

With that thought Elphaba’s left hand drifted upward ghosting over the curve of Glinda’s back until she reached the nape of her neck.  Once she had reached her destination she laced long green fingers through blond hair and brought Glinda’s head toward her.  She lifted her own head to meet those luscious pink lips.  This time there was no moment of hesitation, no question just purity of intent and emotion in the joining of their lips.  Elphaba brought her right arm around Glinda’s waist and pulled her tightly against her and Glinda’s hands cupped Elphaba’s face holding her close as they continued to explore.

This time it was not their emotions that drew them apart but an unexpected firm staccato knock on the door.  Glinda let loose a startled gasp and nearly fell over herself trying to stand.  It took Elphaba only a few seconds more to realize what was happening.  Glinda stood looking expectantly at her and she quickly realized she would have to answer the increasingly demanding pounding.  She wasn’t sure it was a very good idea as with the way she was feeling the person on the other side of that door could be in grave danger if she actually made eye contact with them.  But, knowing she had no choice, she stood brushing the wrinkles from her traveling outfit, the outfit Glinda had picked out for her.

“Yes?”  Elphaba was fairly certain one word had never contained more frustration or anger than that single syllable as it left her lips and she opened the door to find a porter in emerald garb with a cart carrying what appeared to be lunch.

“Terribly sorry to disturb you miss,” the polite man could tell he was not being well received.  “Madame Morrible took the liberty of ensuring you would eat properly on this trip and I was instructed to deliver your lunch once we were underway.  If you don’t mind I will just leave it here and you can place the empty dishes in the aisle when you are done.”  He could see Glinda over Elphaba’s shoulder and he was not so stupid as to miss the flush on both young women’s cheeks.  He knew his job sometimes meant knowing when it was best to make a timely exit.  He lifted the silver tray from his cart and handed it to the odd green girl who had answered the door leaving it with her as he began pushing his small cart back up the aisle.

Elphaba backed into the room until she had room to turn with the oversized tray in her hands.  She placed it almost indelicately on the table and turned to Glinda who looked as though she was stuck somewhere between laughter and tears.  Elphaba knew that the intrusion of the porter had shifted their momentum but she couldn’t let go of everything that had just happened between them.  She reached out and took Glinda’s slightly shaking hands in hers, her thumbs stroking gently over pale knuckles.

“Glinda,” Elphaba paused trying to make sure that the words she said were the ones she wanted to speak.  “I asked you what it was you wanted, and you answered, now I need to tell you–.” 

Glinda cut off whatever speech it was Elphaba had been about to launch into by leaning forward and capturing the words with her lips.  Glinda wasn’t ready for reality, for all the things that were complicated and impossible about their lives.  She was certain that whatever Elphaba had planned to say would have been sweet and touching but it just would have succeeded in reminding her how dangerous kissing the green girl was and Glinda didn’t want any reminders of the rest of her life.  Not yet, not when they felt like this, not when she was allowing herself to feel real love, real passion for the first time ever.  Glinda wanted one perfect romantic moment and she was not going to give it up.

“I told you that I want you,” Glinda began, pulling back just far enough to speak.  “And that was the most honest thing I’ve ever said.  Now I’m asking you to let me have this.  I want to sit at this tiny table and share your lunch and I want to be close to you.  Just for this moment, with no one else in the world.”  As the last word left her she placed one last firm kiss to Elphaba’s lips before falling back far enough to look in the other woman’s eyes again.

Elphaba’s mind was filled with all sorts of answers, many of them spelling out exactly why that was a terrible idea and how they were both risking heartache and pain but none of those answers made any sense to her.  She knew she would risk all of that for a moment to belong to Glinda and for Glinda to belong to her.  It was illogical, rash, and perhaps foolish.  It was also the only thing that felt right.  With that knowledge Elphaba loosened her grip on Glinda’s hand and took the few short steps toward the bench sitting in the corner by the table and pulling Glinda down next to her.

She took her free hand and plucked a slice of fruit from the plate there before turning back to the woman nestled in next to her.  “Would you care for a slice of pear, love?”  She held out the slice waiting patiently for Glinda’s response.

“Of course, dearest,” Glinda smiled softly leaning forward taking the succulent bite from between delicate green fingers.  The sparks that tingled across her lips as they made contact with skin had nothing to do with the food and everything to do with the gift the green girl had just given her. 

Elphaba could still almost feel the ghost of Glinda’s lips where they had brushed her fingers.  She couldn’t help but marvel at the lingering sensation, at the impact such a light fleeting touch had made. There was something so perfect about sitting snugly against Glinda one hand held tightly in Glinda’s and the other selecting the next morsel to share.

“So tell me, my sweet.  What would you like to taste next?”  For someone with no experience flirting Elphaba seemed to have unearthed some innate skill in the past few moments.  There was something so easy between them a soft flow of energy that coiled around them drawing them closer than physical contact.

“Well,” a myriad of answers swam through Glinda’s mind as she watched long green fingers hover over the tray of succulent fruits and cheeses.  Strangely very few of them had anything to do with food.  Glinda shifted on the bench and turned her head.  A small smile stole its way onto her lips as she met Elphaba’s eyes.  “The strawberries look quite lovely.”

Elphaba returned Glinda’s half smile and plucked a plump berry from the plate.  Without hesitation she offered it to the other woman holding it a breath away from her lips.  She felt her stomach do an odd but not unpleasant flip as Glinda leaned forward and bit into the fruit.  The strange sensation only seemed to increase as Elphaba watched Glinda’s lips close around the strawberry and those blue eyes sparkled up at her through blonde lashes.  It seemed an eternity of watching with held breath as Glinda quietly chewed and swallowed.  Elphaba couldn’t ever recall being jealous of food before.

“I was right,” Glinda said as she reached out her free hand.  “You should really try one of these.”  As she finished speaking she presented Elphaba with a red berry from the plate.  Glinda felt an electric thrill run through her body as the other woman leaned forward and accepted her offering.  There was something so unique about this experience.  For all of her flirt and flounce Glinda had never felt anything like this.  They were openly flirting, honestly playing around the edges of mutual desire.

Emotional sincerity had never been Glinda’s forte.  The well placed flutter of lashes or girlish giggle had always been a strategic choice rather than a natural response.  Sitting on this bench next to Elphaba and watching her savor a bite of sweet strawberry made her want to be playful, to share herself.  She couldn’t deny that all of the things she was feeling were entirely sincere.  She wasn’t sure when but somewhere between the train platform and this small car Glinda had set aside her affectations for a moment of something real.  The sensation of it was almost mind boggling.

It made her feel the most confusing jumble of joy and sadness.  So much of her life had been spent creating the person everyone knew as Glinda Upland it was disconcerting to have this one person see past all of that to the person she had thought so well hidden.  It hadn’t occurred to her that she had put so much of herself on the back burner in order to fit into the life that had been laid out for her.  It had all happened so gradually, bit by tiny bit, it seemed she didn’t realize what had been happening until it was done.

“My but isn’t that a serious face,” Elphaba’s teasing tone intruded on Glinda’s thoughts.  “Where did you just go my sweet?”  Elphaba had rarely seen the blond look as thoughtful as she looked at that moment.  There were storm clouds brewing behind her eyes and Elphaba knew from experience that those sorts of thoughts should not be ignored.

“Oh, Elphie,” Glinda further shifted herself on the bench this time with unabashed forwardness she swung her legs over Elphaba’s almost putting herself in the green girl’s lap.  “Don’t you ever wish you could just wave a wand and change the world?”

“Of course,” Elphaba almost laughed at the question, “but if there is one thing we’ve learned magic doesn’t exactly work that way now does it.”  As the weight of Glinda’s legs came to rest fully across her lap Elphaba had the fleeting thought that she should be uncomfortable but quickly realized there was something completely perfect about their new position.  With no conscious thought her hand came to rest on Glinda’s knee making it clear she had no desire for the other woman to move.

“No, no it doesn’t.  But it certainly would make things easier.  Dreams would be much closer to reality.”  Glinda looked down at Elphie’s hand on her knee and couldn’t resist the urge to trace the shape of it trailing her fingers absently over soft skin and long delicate digits.  Her other arm found its way behind Elphaba’s head resting across her shoulders just as Glinda felt a strong arm winding around her waist.

“So tell me Glinda, what dreams do you have that aren’t already reality?”  Elphaba wasn’t usually the one to ask questions she had usually termed useless hypotheticals but she wanted some insight into Glinda’s thoughts. 

“You certainly have a way of asking disturbingly direct questions Elphie,” Glinda wasn’t at all sure how to respond.  It was surprising to realize how little anyone had ever cared about her actual dreams and desires.  She played the game of expectations exceptionally well, so well no one ever suspected there might be something beneath her well practiced cover.  No one, that is, until now. 

Elphaba studiously held her tongue.  Her only response was to almost imperceptibly tighten her hold of Glinda offering some sense of comfort and safety.  Whatever those thoughts were that seemed to swirl in her crystal blue gaze it was obvious they were difficult for the blond to express.  Elphaba wanted nothing more than to create a space safe enough to allow Glinda to give voice to all those things she was holding inside.

“I wish,” Glinda took in a deep shuddering breath as if to fortify herself against the words she was about to say.  “I wish I didn’t have to get married, not yet anyway, and not to someone that meets Momsie’s approval.  I wish my family had sent me to college to actually learn not just find a husband.  I wish I was brave enough to venture out on my own, to move to the city alone and make my way in the world.”

“Well,” Elphaba reached out brushing a lock of blond hair behind a perfect ear and cupped Glinda’s cheek.  “You were brave enough to get on the train and come to the city with me.  You were brave enough to be my friend.  Who knows what else you will be capable of in the end.”

“I fear you have a rather higher than deserved opinion of me Elphie,” Glinda allowed a rare self-deprecating note to enter her voice.  It was odd to allow this side of herself to be seen.  Glinda had all but convinced herself these doubts and dreams had long ago been buried with her other childish desires.  It seemed Elphaba was able to draw many things out of her that she had become accustomed to ignoring.

“And lest we forget,” Elphaba chose not to argue but rather to act as though Glinda had not spoken at all.  “You were brave enough to do this.”  With little warning Elphaba tugged Glinda forward closing the space between them and claimed her lips with a purpose and intent that surprised them both.

She hadn’t put much thought into the action.  She had noticed that their conversation was making Glinda more thoughtful, almost pensive and had allowed a shadow of sadness to dampen the usual glow in those bright eyes.  Elphaba wanted to replace that sadness with something else, something that would bring them both back to the comfort and safety of this space and so she had acted on instinct and desire.  As soft yielding lips opened to her and a soft moan rose up between them she could not find any means to regret her choice.

Glinda’s clouded troublesome thoughts seemed to scatter like mist in the sun when Elphaba’s warm lips pressed against hers.  Everything that had been so worrisome seemed so unimportant in the face of the emotions shared between them in the electric brushing of lips.  For all her talk about not being strong enough to do anything for herself Glinda couldn’t deny that Elphaba was right.  She had been brave enough to do this and even if it didn’t last she could grab hold of what she wanted for this moment and not let go.

With that thought Glinda felt a wave of reckless abandon wash over her and she pressed herself more firmly against Elphaba’s lips.  It was time to seize the moment before the rest of the world closed in and stole it away from both of them.  There were many things she could have said but no words seemed as real as taking action, actions she could never erase or take away something permanent that they would always have no matter what happened.

Glinda was tired of giving up everything that meant anything to her.  She was tired of turning her back on desire, tired of pretending to feel things she didn’t and denying the things she did.  In this moment she wanted to feel the thrill that raced over her skin at every point her body touched Elphaba’s.  It seemed that the closer she pressed into the other woman the more layers were stripped away.  Glinda didn’t know how long she could last exposing the tender layers of her emotions.  As she explored Elphaba’s mouth and her hands tangled in inky black hair she realized she didn’t care.

Elphaba felt as though she was drowning, her senses were filled with Glinda.  She could still taste the hint of sweet strawberries on Glinda’s lips and as the connection deepened new tastes danced across her tongue, flavors that were bright and sparkling and all Glinda.  There was a voice deep in the back of Elphaba’s mind that was trying to tell her all the reasons this was dangerous but she couldn’t bring herself to listen to it, the risk was worth even a moment of feeling something so pure and unguarded.

Glinda tightened her grip in Elphaba’s hair and shifter her weight backward.  Without leaving the warm lips that had become the center of her universe she lay back on the soft velvet cushion of the bench. Their legs tangled clumsily together as she pulled Elphaba’s lanky frame on top of her.  As their bodies came to rest Glinda felt soft lips lifting away from hers and a soft sound of frustration escaped her at the loss of contact.  She lifted her head not wanting the touch to end.

“Wait, my sweet,” Elphaba’s voice was rough and far deeper than either of them had ever heard it before.  “Look at me…just for a moment.”  She wasn’t even certain what she wanted to say her only hope was that once the opportunity presented itself the words would be there. 

Glinda fought her baser urges trying to hear what it was Elphaba was saying but the timbre of her voice was making it all very difficult.  She closed her eyes for the briefest of moments drawing in a shaky breath.  When they fluttered open again her next breath died on her lips as she was captured by dark shimmering orbs.  Glinda had thought before that moment that she had a very clear definition of beauty but it seemed the glowing passion touched with almost heart wrenching vulnerability staring down at her from those eyes changed her perception forever.  Elphaba was the single most breathtaking thing she had ever seen.

“I think perhaps you stole my line.”  A soft smile graced Elphaba’s lips as she spoke. 

It was only when the words sank in that Glinda realized she had spoken her last thought aloud. She could feel the heat of a blush in her cheeks at the knowledge.  It seemed almost silly to be blushing when she was being pressed into the bench by the entirely pleasant weight of Elphaba’s body but she couldn’t help it.  Those eyes looked at her as none had before and it left her feeling undeniably shy. Instead of dwelling on the unfamiliar feeling however, Glinda focused on her desire to express the vision before her.

“No dearest,” one of Glinda’s hands loosened from dark locks and moved to brush the angular line of Elphaba’s cheek.  “You are truly, completely…gorgeous.” 

“Glinda –,” Elphaba could feel a denial on her lips but she was silenced by delicate fingertips pressed against them.

“Elphie, you don’t have to believe me but please don’t argue with me,” Glinda’s tone was firm though it lacked the bossiness she normally used to get her way.  It seemed Glinda had, for a moment, learned the art of being straightforward.  There was no point; no need to manipulate the situation. The honesty of emotion and sensation washed away the need for petty games between them.

For the briefest moment Elphaba entertained the notion of putting up some sort of denial but as soon as the thought crossed her mind it faded as Glinda’s touch brushed delicately across her lower lip.  She wanted nothing more than to give into the pull of that touch, into the call of the soft sweetness that was just inches away.  It was amazing to her how the easiest choice was also the single most complicated.  Falling into those lips would be so simple. 

So she did, she stopped resisting, stopped worrying and gave herself over to the blissful brush of lips on lips.  Elphaba was quite convinced she could go on kissing Glinda forever and be perfectly happy.  There was no rush, no pressure just the stoking of flames that burned low and hot deep within her body.  She felt a moan swell and pass her lips as small warm hands found their way between her skirt and shirt to press into her skin and draw them closer together.

Glinda had spent far more time than she cared to admit imagining precisely how Elphaba’s skin would feel under her fingers.  She was not disappointed.  The soft flesh of her lower back was silky and warm as Glinda’s touch played over the flex of muscles around the other woman’s spine.  Glinda gloried in the feel of that small expanse of skin as she pulled Elphaba closer.  The intimacy of the embrace was undeniable. 

Elphaba’s hair cascaded around them in an inky wave seeming to shield them further from the outside world.  On the distant edges of reality the sound of the train echoed the rhythm of their pounding hearts.  It seemed to Elphaba that Glinda’s hands were not just touching one bit of exposed skin, the heat and sensation spread over her flesh like skittering sparks.  So much of her life had been spent believing passion would never be hers to feel it was almost unreal to find herself here.

Just as Glinda’s hands had given into the desire to explore Elphaba gave into the need to discover new tastes and textures.  She used her lips and teeth and tongue to trace the outline of sweet pink lips and the delicate line of chin.  Glinda’s flesh was the perfect combination of salty and sweet teasing Elphaba’s senses as she traveled further down Glinda’s neck.  She felt the other woman turn her head opening the expanse of her throat to soft kisses and teasing nips.  She could feel Glinda’s pulse pounding against her lips as she placed a lingering kiss to the base of her throat.

Glinda extracted one hand from beneath Elphaba’s shirt dragging her fingers up the curve of her back to her shoulder to her throat tracing the line of her collar until she felt the top button of her shirt under her fingertips.  With the practiced touch Glinda slipped the first button open drawing the fabric apart until she reached the second one and repeated the motion.  She reached the third button and could feel the slight curve of Elphaba’s always well concealed breasts, as she made contact she felt the other woman’s breath hitch.

There was something about that touch that brought Elphaba completely into her body.  Feeling those fingers she had dreamed about delicately gracing the soft upper curve of her breast anchored her in the reality of the moment.  This was Glinda’s hand on her skin, touching her as no one ever had; this was Glinda’s soft curvaceous body pressed beneath hers.  These were her lips pressing against Glinda’s skin; she was the one causing Glinda’s pulse to race under her luminous flesh.

Glinda had a brief flash of nervousness, fear that she had gone too far.  Instinct and emotion were her only guides and she was unaccustomed to following either.  Though she was loathe risk the delicious forward momentum they shared Glinda could feel words pressing at the back of her throat.  Glinda’s eyes drifted downward to where her fingers brushed Elphaba’s emerald skin and she was captured by the contrast of her own pale tone against her.  She was almost surprised to see the slight tremor in her hand as she pressed her palm on Elphaba’s chest over the firm pounding of her heart.

There was something indescribable about the sensation of Glinda’s hand pressed to her heart.  There had been some doubts about Glinda’s magical ability but Elphaba had no question as the energy from Glinda’s palm seemed to wrap itself around her heart like a string of twinkling Lurlinemas lights.  Elphaba glanced downward as if to see if the magic of that touch was visible to the naked eye.  It seemed such a silly romantic notion coming from a girl who had always denied the very existence of her heart and yet here she was.

Glinda paused for a moment relishing the sensation of protecting Elphaba’s heart.  She had been raised to fear romance and love but in this moment she embraced both.  She was with the one person she had ever allowed to see the real Glinda and realized much to her surprise that she wasn’t afraid.  She had her whole life to be afraid.  For this singular moment Glinda decided she was going to embrace her dreams, dreams she had secretly planned and never spoken.

 “You know,” Glinda spoke softly still staring at her hand resting on Elphaba’s chest, “they say The Emerald City is the place dreams come true.  I’ve heard The Wizard has been known to grant your dearest wish.”  Though lying underneath Elphaba, her lips still tingling from their kisses, her hand on her flesh Glinda was hard pressed to come up with another wish.

“So perhaps,” Elphaba’s warm tone turned slightly teasing, “he’ll grant you courage?”

“And maybe he’ll give you a heart you wicked thing,” Glinda answered back in the same tone flexing her fingers slightly against Elphaba’s skin.  There was something so natural between them; gentle teasing that somehow symbolized so much of what had put the passion in their relationship.

“Ah, my dear if he gave me that it would only be a replacement.” Elphaba shifted her weight to allow one hand to brush Glinda’s cheek.  “You see, I’ve already given the original away.”

“Oh Elphie,” Glinda wanted to say something but such unexpectedly romantic sentiment had rendered her wonderfully speechless.  In all of her wildest dreaming she never imagined having a moment like this with Elphaba.

“So my sweet,” Elphaba continued rather surprised at how much she had enjoyed bestowing those flowery words.  “Tomorrow we will be in a place where all of our dreams could come true.  What dreams do you wish to see fulfilled in our short stay?”

The hand Glinda had been resting comfortably over Elphaba’s heart slid slowly upward until her fingers could wrap around the back of long green neck and her thumb began to stroke the jut of the other woman‘s chin.  She tensed her fingers applying the gentlest pressure drawing that dark smiling face toward her.  As the gap between them closed inch by tantalizing inch Glinda began to speak in a soft heated whisper.

“The only dreams I am thinking about right now I’m hoping will be fulfilled before we ever reach the Emerald City.”  Glinda was almost shocked at her own forwardness until all other feelings were obliterated by the sensation of her lips once again connecting with Elphaba’s.  They had been skirting around the edges of arousal and emotion for some time but this time their kisses were different, Glinda’s intentions were different.

In her heart she had known what she wanted, had known she wanted this experience with Elphaba but she hadn’t let herself truly immerse herself in the desire.  All her life she had been taught the value of being a ‘good’ girl, never letting any of her suitors go too far.  She had perfected the art of going just far enough to keep their interest without going over the edge and earning herself a reputation.  The truth was it was quite easy to do when she wasn’t especially attracted to any of the many men who had sought her affections.

As she deepened their kiss sliding her warm wet tongue into Elphaba’s mouth she knew full well she wanted to go entirely too far and she put every ounce of that desire into the press of their lips together.  Had she spared any part of her brain to think about it she probably would have been shocked by the fact that she never doubted her advances would be welcomed but she wasn’t sparing any part of herself for such mundane contemplations.  Now was the time to be focused on warm lips and sweet exotic tastes not on practical musings.

Elphaba immediately sensed the change in Glinda’s kisses.  Even with her inexperience there was no misunderstanding the rush of heat that rose between them, threatening to ignite into something that would consume them both.  Elphaba spared the barest second to marvel at the very real knowledge that she wanted to be consumed.  She wanted to let the flames take them until they were left new and cleansed by their passing.  They had danced around each other getting closer and pulling back long before their kisses on this train and she was tired of dancing.

Shifting her weight to one arm Elphaba managed with some grace to get long fingers on the topmost button of Glinda’s stylish traveling outfit.  She had truly enjoyed the sensation of Glinda’s fingers on her flesh and she wanted to know what it felt like in the reverse.  Before she was fully aware of having taken the action Elphaba had made quick work of the buttons her fingers found.  As the last button fell open Elphaba pulled back looking into blue darkened to midnight with passion.  If there was a moment to stop, to step away from what was surely happening between them, this was it and that knowledge slowed her touch as it brushed the edge of now loose fabric.

Glinda could see the question in Elphaba’s eyes.  Now was not the time for fear or doubt, not the time to put on the brakes.  Whatever forces had conspired to bring them to this place, in this moment, were too powerful to deny.  Though the words had not been spoken Glinda was fully aware she loved Elphaba in a way she had never loved anyone in her life, in a way she would never love again.  Dreams and destiny were fickle fleeting things and Glinda was not going to let this one moment slip through her fingers.

Glinda stared into the swirling dark depths of Elphaba’s eyes searching for a way to answer that unspoken question.  She wanted to be articulate and romantic but the pounding of her heart and the teasing brush of Elphaba’s fingers at the edge of her blouse were mixing her thoughts into a terrible jumble.  So instead of flowery phrases Glinda decided to speak the unguarded truth.

“Dearest,” Glinda’s tone was breathier than she had intended, “if you don’t touch me I’m quite certain I will die.”

It took a remarkable number of seconds for Elphaba to process Glinda’s words.  It took far fewer for her to act on them.  Her long fingers brushed troublesome fabric out of her way leaving ghosting trails of heat over Glinda’s indescribably soft skin.  Elphaba’s eyes skittered over newly exposed flesh committing each dip and hollow, each curve to memory.  Her fingers traced the line of collar bone to sternum downward until she met with the delicate lace and boning of Glinda’s demure yet astonishingly sexy undergarments.  The contrast of the texture of lace and skin sent tingles through Elphaba’s fingers as she followed the line of the garment over the inviting swell of Glinda’s breast.

Glinda could feel her nipples tighten into peaks at Elphaba’s touch and found the sensation of lace against them almost maddening; that and the fact that she was still blocked from being able to run her hands freely over Elphaba’s flesh.  It seemed remarkably unfair that the woman above her was still covered so completely.  The strip of exposed flesh at her throat and down her chest was just a teasing invitation to explore further.  Without further thought Glinda reached up and wrested the last buttons free allowing her eager hands to explore the feeling of muscles flexing under velvety flesh. 

Sliding both hands over the warm skin of Elphaba’s back Glinda pulled the other woman closer.  This new position offered the opportunity for her lips to reach Elphaba’s throat leaving a trail of kisses and light nips down its length.  She allowed her tongue to dip into the divot between sharp collar bones tasting the perfect mixture of salty and sweet that was Elphaba’s skin.  Quite of its own volition a sound of pure pleasure welled in her chest and vibrated against flushed green skin.

Elphaba seemed to feel the sound Glinda made more than she heard it.  The vibrations seemed to reverberate throughout her body settling low and heavy within her.  She wanted Glinda to make more sounds like that and more than that she wanted to make Glinda make more sounds like that.  Before she could come up with a plan of action toward achieving that goal she heard a similar sound escape her own throat as Glinda found a particularly sensitive spot with the tip of her tongue.

Glinda’s hands moved from holding Elphaba in place to trying to wrestle her free of her shirt.  Glinda was quite through being limited by the confines of that particular garment.  As lovely as Elphaba looked in the stark white fabric Glinda was quite sure she’d look even better out of it but their position was making it difficult to make quick, graceful work of their clothing.  Glinda released a small sound of something that could only be described as frustration as she was foiled in her attempt to smoothly disrobe Elphaba.

As loath as she was to put even an inch of space between them it seemed Elphaba had no choice but to sit up in order to get out of their increasingly annoying travel clothes.  She shifted until she had righted herself to sit between Glinda’s legs at one end of the bench.  Without hesitation she shrugged her shirt off tossing it rather unceremoniously across the small berth.  It was only when she looked down to see how much of her emerald skin was now exposed that she felt an uncontrollable wave of shyness that kept her from meeting Glinda’s gaze.

Glinda watched with eager anticipation as Elphaba tossed her shirt aside. She felt her breath catch at the sight.  Glinda was well aware that Elphaba had no concept of her own beauty but that did not cause the blond to appreciate it any less.  Her dark hair had gone slightly wild from their kisses and Glinda’s hands in it, the flowing length cascaded over thin shoulders contrasting perfectly with green skin that had taken on a slightly flush darkened hue.  Dark lips were parted slightly and swollen from deep kisses and her eyes radiated passion light from deep within as she ducked her head and hid her gaze behind dark lashes.

Glinda recognized the way in which Elphaba tried to hide her face, she had seen it a number of times whenever they had hit upon the topic of the green girl’s beauty.  Elphaba was feeling shy and Glinda didn’t want her to feel shy, and certainly had no desire for the beautiful woman next to her to hide.  Glinda shifted from where she had propped herself up on her elbows to stand in front of Elphaba.  She said nothing, knowing actions held far more meaning than any words she could come up with.

As she stood there she bent down and undid the straps of her shoes and stepped lightly out of them.  She then slipped off the shirt Elphaba had expertly unbuttoned a few moments earlier.  The movements had caught Elphaba’s attention enough to draw her gaze up a bit.  Glinda continued hoping to pull the other woman back into the moment they shared and out of her own insecurities.  She could feel Elphaba’s gaze on her and didn’t want to lose it.  She reached behind her back and undid the hooks of her bra sliding the straps down her arms until she could drop the garment to the floor with her shirt.  She followed that with her skirt, fabric whispering down her legs to land in a heap at her feet.  Clad only in her panties and stockings she took a step closer to Elphaba and reached out her hand cupping the other woman’s strong chin in her fingers.

Elphaba knew Glinda wanted to look into her eyes, knew the connection was necessary.  She hadn’t been shy watching the beautiful woman remove her clothing but now once again she could feel a flush in her cheeks that wasn’t just from arousal.  She had long been in the habit of hiding her skin; covering as much of her difference as she was able but under that crystal blue gaze she wasn’t just stripping away her clothing.  Giving her body to Glinda meant opening herself up for judgment that would certainly destroy her if she saw it in those eyes.  The pressure of Glinda’s hand on her chin became more insistent and in the end she couldn’t resist it.

Elphaba was struck breathless by the vision before her.  There was no trace of judgment or fear in those twin blue seas, only love and desire.  Elphaba felt as though that gaze swallowed her whole and lit the fires beneath her skin all over again.  No matter what Elphaba thought of herself she realized Glinda truly meant it when she said she thought her beautiful.  It was quite beyond her understanding but it seemed the very pinnacle of foolishness to waste precious moments arguing.

Glinda could see the change in Elphaba’s posture and knew her efforts had not been in vain. It had taken a rather bold step but Glinda had no regrets as Elphaba’s fathomless eyes left hers to roam over her bared flesh like a caress.  She had seen what she’d needed to see in those dark depths, Elphaba may not yet see her own beauty but she had accepted that Glinda saw it.  She allowed her hand to drop away from Elphaba’s face, holding it between them open, palm up in obvious invitation.

It wasn’t difficult to understand what Glinda was both asking for and offering with her open hand and Elphaba wasn’t one for being purposefully obtuse.  With no hesitation she placed her hand in Glinda’s and stood before her.  Their bodies were nearly brushing skin on skin warm with anticipation, breath mingling between them.  Elphaba moved slightly reaching to undo the zipper at the back of her skirt allowing the material to pool around her feet.  She stepped out of her skirts and kicked them to the side and slipped out of her shoes with minimal production. 

Elphaba stood in front of Glinda, bare and waiting.  She was offering something she had never thought anyone would want, herself. There was an odd mix of emotions running along her nerves as she stood there, a dizzying combination of love, lust, desire, nervousness, and anticipation.  Elphaba looked into the blue flames that flickered in Glinda’s eyes and was overcome once again by the desire to be consumed by the fire of their desire.

Glinda reached out with delicate fingers starting at Elphaba’s shoulders and outlining the shape and form of long arms. She explored the sensitive dip at the elbow, the slender muscled forearm, the excruciatingly soft skin at the inside of wrists until she could entwine their hands.  As she did so she took a step back while tightening her grip.

“I believe,” Glinda’s voice was heavy with flirtatious energy, “my sweet Elphie, this would best be continued in your bed.” With those words she let go of one of Elphaba’s hands and turned toward her suggested destination. 

Glinda took a couple of steps placing her stocking covered foot on the first of two steps up to the bed.  Her hand that was still held in Elphaba’s tugged behind her and she paused in her forward motion just as she heard the other woman’s voice, once again tentative and shy.

“Glinda,” Elphaba couldn’t hide any of the myriad of emotions she was feeling.  Her eyes were filled with the vision of Glinda nearly naked and climbing into her bed, that sight alone sent her heart thrumming in her chest and heat burning through her veins.  At the same time she felt a small knot of fear in her gut, the reality of what they were about to do, what it meant, suddenly settled around her with bright clarity.

Glinda turned on the step tugging Elphaba closer to her in the process.  She took a moment to enjoy how her position removed the difference in their heights allowing her to look directly into Elphaba’s fathomless eyes.  She thought for a moment about saying something but it seemed best to let whatever question it was that flickered in those dark depths reveal itself with no prodding from her.

“Are you…I mean this, we…,” Elphaba could feel frustration leaking into her words as she failed to articulate the question she wanted to ask.  She knew once they climbed into the small space behind them their decision was sealed.  Neither one of them wanted to resist the tug of emotion and arousal that spiraled around them but Elphaba knew this was no small choice for either of them.

 “Dearest,” Glinda was quite certain she had deciphered Elphaba’s intent from her jumbled words.  “I may not be certain of much but I am quite certain that I want this…with you.”  Without breaking eye contact Glinda slid her heel upward until she found the second step up.  Once she had steadied herself on the top step she sat back onto the soft mattress and bedding.  She still held tightly to Elphaba’s hand and she gave it a tug encouraging the other woman to join her.

Elphaba felt something she had never experienced as she watched Glinda sit on the bed.  It was as though her brain surrendered, gave up completely, in the face of the onslaught of desire that rushed under her skin.  Glinda wanted this with her; there was no doubt of that now, no question.  All the reasons this was a terrible idea, all her insecurity at not being good enough, all the voices in her head fell silent at the sight of Glinda’s determined, passion filled eyes and pink flushed skin.  As she felt her hand pulled forward she put up no resistance.  Without thought her feet moved forward until she found herself standing between Glinda’s spread knees looking down into her beautiful face.

Glinda let go of Elphaba’s hand as soon as she was standing close to her and allowed both her hands to explore the gift in front of her.  Without hesitation her touch traveled slowly from the slight curve of Elphaba’s backside to the small of her back, fingertips tracing the line of her spine, palms relishing the softness of the flesh over her ribs and shoulder blades.  It seemed to Glinda she had wanted this forever and the reality of it overwhelmed her senses.  Thought gave way to instinct and Glinda embraced the sensation.

As her hands mapped the terrain of Elphaba’s back she drew the other woman closer the luminescent emerald flesh before her tempting and beautiful.  She made no effort to resist the temptation.  Glinda leaned forward allowing her lips to brush the skin over Elphaba’s heart, the same spot her hand had rested moments earlier.  She felt as much as heard the sharp intake of breath above her at the contact and she took the sound as encouragement.  Her lips traveled over the expanse of flesh, down Elphaba’s sternum until she was drawn to the underside of a small pert breast.  She kissed soft skin, traced its delicate curve, until her lips hovered over one puckered emerald nipple.

Elphaba had earlier thought she wanted to be consumed by the flames of desire; she was quite certain that was precisely what was happening.  The brush of Glinda’s lips over her skin seemed to ignite a heat that moved through her with heavy liquid warmth.  Small hands moving over her back left trails of sparks tingling over her flesh, each sensation seemed to reverberate throughout her body.  The cool air of the compartment did nothing to dampen the warmth that seemed to radiate from her flesh wherever soft pink lips brushed it or delicate fingers traced patterns on the surface.  When Glinda’s lips hovered over her nipple the ache that erupted within her was nearly excruciating.  All she could think to do was tangle her hand in blond locks and tug Glinda closer.

Glinda needed no further encouragement as she felt long fingers lace through her hair and urge her closer to the spot they both desired.  Her tongue peaked out almost demurely as she drew delicate aching flesh into her mouth sucking lightly.  The taste of Elphaba’s skin, the feel of her tight flesh against the roof of Glinda’s mouth overwhelmed the blonde’s senses.  She made no effort to suppress the moan that vibrated against green flesh as she reveled in the moment.  Not wanting to neglect any part of her lover Glinda pulled her head back slightly and kissed her way to Elphaba’s other breast offering the same loving attention.

Elphaba was quite thankful for Glinda’s arms around her because she was sure without that support she would find herself falling.  Perfect lips traveling from one breast to the other, tongue laving her skin, left her knees almost too weak to support her weight.  Before she toppled them both over she buried her free hand in Glinda’s hair and pulled her head back.  She paused for the briefest moments to see those blue eyes before dipping her head to claim those surprisingly skilled lips with her own. 

There was a brief moment of disappointment that coursed through Glinda as her lips were drawn away from their most delicious occupation but it passed quickly as Elphaba kissed her soundly.  The kiss was not questioning or searching it was certain and direct claiming Glinda’s mouth in a way that bordered gloriously on possession.  There was no longer a hint of teasing between them as Glinda laced her arms tightly around Elphaba’s waist and pulled her close returning the forcefulness of the other woman’s embrace with full measure.  Glinda felt Elphaba pressing into her, their weight shifting together backward toward the small bed until she drew herself fully atop it bringing Elphaba with her.

They fell into the space with remarkable grace, Glinda on her side with her back pressed against the wall and Elphaba facing her, held close by hands still clasped behind her.  Their skin came into contact down the lengths of their bodies sending shocks through both of them.  Breasts touched, stomachs twitched in reaction, thighs brushed through the thin layer of stockings neither had removed.  Elphaba’s slender green leg slid easily between Glinda’s tangling them together in a mass of limbs and heat.

Glinda freed one hand from behind Elphaba using it to brush thick dark hair behind one perfect green ear losing herself, for what seemed like the hundredth time, in those eyes that promised so much and held back so little.  Glinda was well aware of the momentousness of this moment, of their decision.  She would have expected to have some trace of trepidation, of the voice of her mother lecturing her about chastity and the value of her virtue but all of that had been stripped away by the overwhelming honesty and truth in the touch of Elphaba’s graceful fingers.  In some small way perhaps her mother had been right, her body was a gift that could only be given this way once and Glinda knew to the very core of her being there was no one else she wanted to give it to.

Blue eyes bore into her with an intensity that almost surprised Elphaba, almost but not quite.  She had seen many sides of Glinda that few others had been privileged to view.  The passionate intensity that radiated from her eyes was just one more facet to the jewel.  Elphaba had a difficult time wrapping her brain around the reality of the gift she was being given.  The press of Glinda’s naked body against hers, the pounding of their hearts, the brush of delicate fingers through long black hair, the depth of desire that radiated from those sea blue eyes all of it was more than Elphaba had ever dreamed of experiencing. 

As her hand lingered, drifting through Elphaba’s thick hair, Glinda felt almost overwhelmed with choices.  Her eyes moved away from the dark ones that had held her captive and began to roam over high cheekbones, soft full lips, graceful neck and as they did her hand followed.  Her fingers traced over flesh memorizing each curve and dip down Elphaba’s chest to her breasts grazing teasingly over hardened nipples enjoying the resulting shuttering intake of breath.  Without hesitation she followed the trails left by her fingers with her lips and teeth and tongue mapping the surface of Elphaba’s beautiful body.

Glinda was overwhelmed by sensation each taste and touch and smell seemed emblazoned on her senses embedded in her memory like hot brands.  She welcomed the rising tide of emotion letting it wash through her leaving languid heat and aching desire in its wake.  Her whole life had taught her to resist these feelings and, on some level, she understood why.  Everything she felt seemed bigger, more powerful, stronger than she was.  As she allowed her hands to glide lower slipping off the last of their garments she surrendered any final bit of lingering fear to the strength and force of what was happening between them.

The sensations that Glinda had sent through Elphaba’s body were delicious and succeeded in making her want more, more of everything.  Rolling them over slightly Elphaba’s weight half rested on Glinda’s smaller frame.  The press of their now naked bodies seemed the perfect match of each convex and concave fitting them together like parts of a whole.  Elphaba’s lips once more found their way to Glinda’s learning each detail of her delicate mouth as her hands explored her body.  She had feared her inexperience would make her nervous or clumsy but it seemed instinct and passion made her certain and brave as she discovered each sensitive spot that caused wonderfully wicked sounds to escape Glinda’s lovely throat.

Glinda was not entirely certain how the tables had turned so quickly and as Elphaba’s fingers found a particularly sensitive spot she realized she didn’t much care.  Though her own experience in this area was relatively limited it was certainly more extensive than Elphaba’s but that seemed to have little bearing on the simple reality that her body, her will was lost to the touch of long green fingers and full dark lips.  Each touch seemed to send waves of energy to settle with heavy fullness between her thighs, the tension there was becoming nearly unbearable and it only seemed to increase as Elphaba’s lips left hers and began to travel lower.

Elphaba wanted to taste every inch of Glinda’s skin.  With each kiss she understood more and more of what it felt like to hunger for another person, the desire to know every flavor, every sound was bordering on a physical ache within her.  Her body was suddenly alive in a way that was almost frightening.  There was something so unexpected in the desire, the actual wantonness she felt.  She had always thought her mind was her most powerful gift, but it would seem that being wrapped in Glinda’s arms, tasting the delicate skin of Glinda’s stomach taught her all knew definitions of power.

With strong hands on full hips Elphaba shifted Glinda beneath her until she was lying flat on her back.  Though their quarters were somewhat cramped Elphaba fit her slim body into the space with relative ease as she continued exploring lower on Glinda’s body placing light teasing kisses over the small swell of her stomach and lower to the soft skin of her thighs.  The scent of Glinda’s arousal was subtle and delicate like spring rain and it made Elphaba want to explore and taste and learn the most intimate secrets of the other woman’s body.

There was no hesitation.  Glinda knew there was only one thing that would cure the ache she felt and she opened to that soft sweet touch.  All else in the universe ceased to exist, Glinda was only aware of the warmth and perfection of Elphaba’s fingers and tongue.  She wasn’t aware of her hands tangling in dark hair drawing the other woman as close as possible.  She knew moans escaped her throat but wasn’t consciously aware of the sound they made.  She could feel indescribable energy build between them, unspoken declarations communicated through each passionate motion.  Glinda gave herself over completely to emotion and sensation until they exploded through her body with earth shaking force.

Elphaba was lost in a world of taste and touch and sound, Great Oz the sounds. Glinda’s voice was almost musical as certain touches would send her pitch higher or lower.  Though she knew desire was boiling in her own body she put it in the back of her mind her focus solely on Glinda’s pleasure.  As hands gripped her hair tugging almost painfully it was clear the time for exploration was over.  Elphaba poured all of the emotion that had been building within her into each touch, each caress of her tongue.  She knew there were things she couldn’t yet say with words and she put each of them into her actions until she felt Glinda tremble and heard those musical tones rise until her release spiraled around them.

With trembling hands Glinda tugged Elphaba upward.  She needed the pressure of the other woman’s body over hers to anchor her back into her body.  Aftershocks still rocketed through her as Elphaba’s reassuring weight came to rest on her and Glinda wrapped her arms around her holding her as close as possible.  She buried her face in the crook of Elphaba’s neck as she recovered and tried to bring her ragged breathing back under control.  There were no words, nothing that could describe the feelings that still ghosted through her body.

Elphaba wrapped Glinda in a tight embrace feeling the tremors that seemed to shake her at random intervals.  With her arms wrapped around Glinda she rolled them on their sides drawing the smaller woman into the safe haven of her embrace.  Wanting to cocoon Glinda completely she threw a long slender leg over her hip drawing her in closer.  A shudder ran through her own body at the contact as Glinda’s thigh slid upward suddenly reminding her of her of all the things she had chosen to ignore earlier.  Her breath caught in her throat as that thigh tensed with determined pressure and Glinda’s lips began exploring her throat.

There was no doubt in Glinda’s mind about Elphaba’s state as her thigh contacted delicious heat.  The lingering tremors of her own pleasure were quickly forgotten as she flexed against the other woman.  She pulled back in their embrace wanting to see Elphaba’s face, she was not disappointed.  Desire and want were radiating from her eyes and her lips were parted in an attempt to draw in a shuddering breath.  Dark eyes widened as nimble fingers joined smooth skin over flexing muscle and Glinda held that gaze overwhelmed with desire to see each response, each subtle change.  Their connection was undeniable and they both embraced it as Glinda watched her motions reflected in lightening flashes through dark irises. 

Their gazes locked completing the circuit between them each emotion seemed to double back on itself from touch to glance to touch again.  Glinda allowed all the feelings she had kept shielded to read clearly in her blue eyes and to dictate each tactile message her fingers sent.  Elphaba’s body began to move against her keeping time with the motion of Glinda’s hand their eyes not breaking contact until the sensations prove too much, too intense.  Elphaba’s dark lashes fluttered shut over fathomless orbs and her body arched with tensions beyond her ability to contain.  As they did Glinda leaned forward claiming slightly parted lips and swallowing the cries that came forth.

Long moments of silence stretched between them broken only by the sounds of ragged breathing, the muffled rhythm of the train, and the soft brush of soothing hands gently brushing heated flesh more to comfort than arouse.  Glinda’s legs were tangled with Elphaba’s only the color made it possible to distinguish whose limbs belonged to whom.  She couldn’t stop the smile that wanted to take up permanent residence on her lips and she knew Elphaba could feel it where her cheek rested on the expanse of green shoulder. 

“Happy, my sweet?”  The question seemed more rhetorical than anything else as Elphaba’s fingers drew random patterns over Glinda’s shoulder and arm.  There was no real way to describe how she felt in this moment.  Her body was sated, her heart was open in a way she’d never thought possible.  She was curled in bed with the most beautiful woman she’d ever known and they were on their way to meet the Wizard of Oz.  It was almost too much to fully comprehend.

“Yes dearest, truly,” Glinda knew the question didn’t really require an answer but she couldn’t resist providing one anyway.  Her hand lazily traveled over the angles of Elphaba’s slender form absentmindedly traversing her skin.  There was a small part of her brain that knew all of the things that were complicated and uncertain about their lives would begin to close in on them soon enough and she was determined to keep them at bay for as long as possible.  They had this trip and they would soon be arriving in the city where anything was possible, even the two of them together. They had gone from enemies to friends, best friends, and now lovers and if that could happen maybe their future truly was unlimited.

The soft motion of the train and the warmth of the late afternoon sun shone through the window lulled them as they lay wrapped around one another.  It seemed to Glinda that, for this moment at least, nothing could touch them.  She hadn’t felt this kind of safety since she was a little girl before her world had been clouded by responsibilities and appearances.  There was something about the simple perfection of listening to Elphaba’s strong steady heartbeat under her ear and feeling the steady intake of breath in the rise and fall of the other woman’s chest.  She was only slightly startled when she once again heard the sound of Elphaba’s voice.

“It would seem in all that talk of dreams, sometimes the most unexpected ones can come true,” Elphaba wasn’t quite certain what had inspired her to speak those words.

“I’m sure there are more where this came from,” Glinda responded lifting her head resting her chin on her hand on Elphaba’s chest so she could see the other woman’s face. “Dreams just the way we planned them.”


End file.
